"you make it look so easy"

by Rachel

How many times have I thought that about others? When I was first starting my c25k program (in.... 2007?) - I have a very strong memory about this lady that waltzed into the workout room, jumped on the treadmill and banged out a 10 minute mile, then quickly walked over to the side and started banging out pushups - WITH leg lifts!

I remember thinking:
-that lady is AWESOME and she makes it look sooo easy!
-I will NEVER be able to run that fast!
-that lady is doing so many pushups - my wimpy arms are NEVER going to be able to do that!
she’s so skinny and fit - no wonder she’s hardly even breathing hard!

It seemed effortless - and it crushed me because I was never going to be like her... I could barely even jog a mile... I was still trying to lose weight and I was having trouble getting to my goal weight...



Now that I look back at that - I’m sure that others can relate to exactly what I was feeling and thinking at the time...



I actually think about that event often, especially lately. Now that I’ve been running for a few years, and have some races under my belt - I’m lower than my original goal weight, running less than 10 minute miles, and doing 60 pushups in a single workout... it’s just really weird to think that I’M that lady now! It’s hard to wrap my own brain around - that I worked HARD and for YEARS and now I can do the things that I thought I would NEVER be able to do!

Here’s the thing - it wasn’t easy - and it still isn’t easy... I have to push myself EVERY SINGLE TIME that I get out there - and want to stop running, or slow down, or not try for those last two pushups... It’s not easy to get faster, or get stronger - it takes EFFORT

So when you look at someone that’s just out there looking like they’re not even breathing hard, or they just seem to float through the things that you can’t fathom even doing - remember that they are WORKING HARD - even if it’s not showing in the way you’d think - mental toughness is something you have to work on every day, and making you brain stronger is a daily effort!

The reason that I have been able to push myself to do more than I ever thought possible is because I am learning every day how IGNORE the person inside me telling me CONSTANTLY to slow down or stop... I’m also constantly in tune with my body, determining every second what pains are actually PAIN because something’s wrong... or fatigue, that I need to ignore and put off until the end of my workout.

And by the way, I still think this about others - there will always be people faster and in better shape than me! And I have to be OK with that - I am still learning to be OK with that :)

I guess I basically wanted to say - I work hard EVERY DAY (except rest days lol) and I deserve to be where I’m at - I am the strong, fit, confident lady that I have always wanted to be and I worked hard for it - I am proud of it!

I also want to tell everyone that YOU CAN BE THE AWESOME ATHLETE that you want to be - YOU WILL BE THAT AWESOME ATHLETE... if you’re not already, that is :)